1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packing bolster and a container for such a bolster, as well as to a packaging method using such a bolster. It is used in the packing and packaging of solid but fragile objects for storage and shipping.
2. Description of the Related Art
Packing bolsters are known in the prior art that are placed between the packaged product and the box intended to contain it. In present practice, it is within the competence of one skilled in the art to use angular bolsters, which can damp overly sudden acceleration (principally, shocks) and keep the packaged product spaced apart from its container. Such bolsters are made of synthetic materials, such as polystyrene. The main disadvantage of wedge bolsters is that they occupy a long space and are virtually impossible to insert automatically.
Another proposal to improve bolstering and especially the manipulation of the bolsters uses half-shells of plastic materials of a completely enveloping shape and is more easily manipulable. However, when it introduced into the box, the shells must be held by the free hand, and they have a tendency to move away from the product to be bolstered, so that in an extreme case they might allow the product to escape.
A disadvantage common to both of the above provisions is that it requires considerable storage volume prior to use. The bolsters in fact remain in the warehouse before being sent over the transfer line, and the volume that they occupy is unavailable for other activities of the business.